Crop Management
A private, all-perils crop insurance company from Moose Jaw, Sask., is still in business and thriving after three growing seasons with some tough weather conditions. “When we started out, AgriStability was our main business competitor, so you can understand that things are looking good for us going forward,” said Grant Kosior of Global Agrisk Solutions. […] Read more
Crop Management
Sask. private crop insurance firm survives volatility
Precision control equipment runs independently
ISOLynx AE50 | System gets nod by ag engineers for ISO equipment compatibility
A cross-system compatibility tool has made this year’s Top 50 new products list from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. ISOlynx from Ally Precision Industries in Souix Falls, S.D., was chosen for its utility. “Nearly anything you can imagine, we test it on,” said Djamel Khali of Ally. The dream more than a […] Read more
Uniform emergence puts money in wallet
Uniform germination and emergence go a long way toward growing a profitable crop. It’s an often elusive goal, but two brothers from Swift Current, Sask., think they have found the answer — effective openers. “I think 2012 was probably the best crop I’ve ever had, even though we had no rain after June 20,” said […] Read more
Natural gas picks up speed as transport fuel
Natural gas, already proven as a fuel to power generator sets, buses, stationary engines, homes and factories, is finding new use as a transportation fuel. Environment is usually touted as the main reason for switching to the clean fuel, but lower prices and the daily waste of excess natural gas also figure into the equation. […] Read more
Recycled plastic tires go green — literally
Tires on centre pivot irrigation systems have something in common with implement tires: if just one goes down, the whole machine goes down. The tire issue for irrigators took a giant step forward this September when Dawson Tire and Wheel introduced its RhinoGator plastic puncture-proof pivot tires. Like Henry Ford’s Model T, the RhinoGator comes […] Read more
Volunteer camelina plants easy to eradicate: researcher
Not highly competitive | Weed treatments wipe out volunteers
Farmers might like camelina sativa for its big oilseed yields, but many worry about the large number of seeds the combine leaves behind. With 7,500 seeds per sq. metre missing the hopper, that could produce a massive weed crop in future years. However, a University of Alberta researcher says camelina growers can rest easy: the […] Read moreWide row spacing a challenge in canola
Producers who have tried seeding canola on wide row spacings are cautiously optimistic and taking steps to solve the problems that have occurred. Some growers have used their air drills, but most have opted for a corn planter from Deere, Case, Kinze or Monosem. However, the problem is the same no matter which planter they […] Read more
Awards recognize best in agricultural innovation
This year’s 50 top innovations in agricultural engineering have been awarded, including a larger than usual number of products that could potentially be used in Western Canada. Each year, a panel of agricultural engineers from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers chooses what it feels are the most innovative products to reach the […] Read more
Corn planter effective in precision canola seeding
A corn planter places canola seed more accurately than does an air drill, according to producers who have tried it. “The accurate seed placement of a planter is the big factor. That’s what makes this whole idea potentially viable,” says Andrew Dalgarno, a canola grower from Newdale, Man. “There was a lot of talk last […] Read more
Morris disc drill designed to improve seed placement
Walking axle technology | Reduced cutting angle produces narrow, easy to close furrows at higher speeds
A new disc drill designed to work faster and boost seed placement accuracy is expected to be available soon to prairie farmers. Morris Industries has been re-searching and designing their new depth controlled opener system since 2009. It tried nine different opener systems on a plot drill in a variety of field conditions. Ultimately, it […] Read more
